Motherwell boss calls upon Fir Park spirit to help team into Europa Conference League as he hopes to do it for club legend

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander is hoping a buoyant Fir Park crowd gets behind his men one last time this season as they seek Europa Conference League entry.

Key stars like Kevin van Veen and Callum Slattery were ill at the weekend but still played a part in a 1-0 Premiership win over Ross County.

It moves them fifth with two games to go, the final European football slot. Victory for Motherwell and dropped points by the Staggies at Rangers would guarantee a top five slot at Fir Park.

Some of Alexander's men could end up running on empty and the crowd could hand them their second wind.

A loud travelling support journeyed up the A9 to watch the win in Dingwall and the 50-year-old wants to feel the noise on home soil.

He said: “We showed great spirit on Saturday. Kev and Slatts came on and Kev got the winning goal but you could see at the end of the game he was back on empty. It has really taken it out the boys.

“We have a couple more in that situation but I’m sure the adrenalin and motivation will overpower any feelings they have got in their stomach.

“If we can have the crowd behind us like they were on Saturday – even though we were away from home, the atmosphere was brilliant.

“The players felt that before the game, I know they did, they felt it during the game and they were rewarded with it after the game."

An additional factor into Wednesday's match is that Keith Lasley will be leaving the club for St Mirren's chief operating officer role this summer.

He has been at Fir Park as assistant manager since 2017, and outside two years, the 42-year-old spent his entire 18-year playing term in ML1.

Alexander reckons securing a return to the continent would be a fitting way to say goodbye to a legend.

The former Scunthorpe